The List
by ArellaRed
Summary: She's a writer for REPUBLIC Magazine, writing an anonymous article about how to win the heart of any man, based on a list of traits she created. The List is a manifestation of what went wrong in each relationship. The List has yet to steer her wrong. Until she met him. ExB Full Summary Inside! Future Lemons!
1. Summary

**A/N:**

**This is a story I have been developing for a couple of years now. I didn't intend for it to be a fanfiction piece, nor did I intend to add sex to it lol, my characters have their own names, their own identities apart from Twilight. But I decided to tweak it so I could share it. I love this site and all the stories on here so I decided to contribute.**

**Disclosure for entire story: I do NOT own the characters, or the world in which Twilight exists. I own this story, it came to me in a dream in 2009, and I have been working on it slowly ever since. **

**I hope you all enjoy this! I will update weekly when possible. The prologue will be short but the chapters will be long!**

SUMMARY:

Bella has always wanted to be a writer at REPUBLIC. THE magazine with all the latest in fashion news, where she writes an anonymous column about how to win any man's heart using her List. A list comprised of traits that men find irresistible. But to establish herself and prove she didn't use her family name to land her job, she needs a groundbreaking story. To get the career changing story on a feuding designer hostile takeover, she needs the inside scoop. Enter Edward Cullen. He's the nerdy but smart and sweet, lawyer with the inside track, but he's tight lipped about it. Bella will use her List and do whatever it takes to get this story. Problem is, Edward is immune to the List. Bella must change her tactics, open up her heart, and find out who she really is and who she wants to be. And Edward may be the person to help her, if he can get over his heartbreaking past. A story of love, loss, and betrayal. Will these two find a way to be together? Or will their pasts split them apart?


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N Ok Chapter 1! Be gentle, this is my first story. I look forward to hearing any feedback!**

_"I guess I kind of always had it easy in life when it came to everything. I came from a very well off family, where I would never want for anything growing up. In the looks department, I was a perfect combination of both my parents, inheriting my mothers long raven hair and button nose, and my fathers's tan skin and jade green eyes. But somewhere in the genetic code, I acquired a knack for creative writing which has brought me thus far. But there was one thing I had rotten luck with. Boys. Relationships. Love._

_I only started to really notice boys when I was fifteen. I had grown into my body the summer before Sophomore year, and no longer was I the awkward, shy, loner girl in the black hoodie with her face pressed up against a computer screen, but the curvaceous, confident bombshell who grew two cup sizes in a couple months. My new "friends" often gossiped if I had had a boob job that summer. HA! They wish, those are all me, bitches!_

_At the time, I knew little to nothing about interacting with boys, due to my shyness and loner status in the previous years. But all of a sudden I was popular, so hell if I wasn't willing to learn. I learned quickly how to flirt to get what I wanted from a boy. If I batted my eyelashes, I could get free candy at the gas station. If I touched his arm, he would carry my stuff between classes. And if I was having a really good day, I could get me and my friends into local clubs with low cut dress and a sway of my hips._

_I flirted my way through Sophomore and Junior year, stealing a kiss or a make out session here or there. Most of the players of the football team, the hockey team, the lacrosse team, and the swim team had all copped a feel. What can I say? I'm a sports enthusiast. But I never found anyone special enough to give up my v-card to. _

_It wasn't even until Senior year until I had my first full blown crush. His name was Dylan. He had just transferred, and I wanted him the moment I saw him. His tall, lean physique made me want to lick the abs his tight white shirt hinted at. He had sandy brown hair and the clearest blue eyes I had ever seen. I was lost the minute I saw him. I remember turning to my then best friend Valerie, and whispering, "Dibs!". She didn't talk to me for the rest of the week. _

_After a few weeks of heavy flirting, Dylan finally asked me out. And after five dates, he asked me to be his girlfriend. Of course I said yes the second he asked._

_Over the next couple of weeks I learned that Dylan had a love for cars. Whether classic or new, he liked them all. At the time I had no interest in cars, all I knew what that I drove a BMW because that was the dealership I had to take it to when something went wrong. I didn't even know what model it was when I got it. My thought process had been, "Oh my god! It's a cute little blue convertible! Oh, daddy please?!"._

_I can now tell you it was a BMW Z4 M Coupe, with a 3.2-liter straight six engine._

_Dylan often tried to involve me in his love for cars, but I was uninterested in something that took up so much of his time. He had a 1969 Mustang in his garage that he had been working on for a better part of two years. He spent so much time in that garage that I started to feel neglected. I tried to get him to go out, and hang out with our friends on the weekends, but all he seemed to want to do was work on that car for hours on end. This went on for weeks until I finally said something to him. I gave him an ultimatum. It was me or the car. His decision makes sense to me now, but that day it felt like the worst thing that could ever happen. To hear him say it out loud that the car was more important, was like a slap to the face. I was crushed. He told me we didn't have enough in common. What the hell? _

_That day rule number one was born: Know cars. Simple as that."_

I clicked Save and closed my computer. I stood up and raised up my arms, stretching out my tired muscles. I walked over to my fridge and pulled out a bottle of water, drinking the whole thing in a few gulps. One glance at the clock, and I realized I had been sitting at my laptop for a couple of hours. I had been trying to write the opening column to a series my boss wanted me to do bi-monthly, called "The List".

I'm not entirely sure how I got roped into this, but one night of drinks with my editor, and I spilled my secret about my List. I vaguely remember drinking an apple martini when I mentioned my rotten luck with men. Sure I was hit on all the time, asked on dates, and strangely, even proposed to on the sidewalk, but I have never had a lasting relationship. When I told my boss, Esme Cullen, that I had terrible luck, her wise words had been, "Sweetie, one day he will come along and will sweep you off your feet."

My reply, in my inebriated state, had been, "I doubt it. I get swept off my feet all the time. Something just seems to be wrong with me. It always seems to be my fault when we break up. So far, I have about twelve rules now, and The List keeps growing! I can't seem to do it right. Dammit, I need another drink."

"List? What list?" she asked, staring at me intently.

I then explained The List. How it was a list of dos and dont's and rules to follow when I really like a guy so I could become the perfect girlfriend. Since my first break up with Dylan, I was insecure in my abilities to be a good girlfriend. It had never occurred to me to learn something about cars so I could spend more time with him. After Dylan, I learned what I could learn about makes and models of cars and the basic workings of an engine. I eventually began to enjoy learning about cars. I could even change my own oil now, as well as a flat tire. Rule number one had come in handy with every boyfriend after Dylan. They all thought it was hot that I could talk shop with them. I even started going to car shows, on occasion.

Now Esme has me writing this ridiculous column about my rules. She thinks I'm a genius, and that I'm helping out all the women who will read it. I had never intended for my list to be published, but luckily I was able to convince her to let me write the whole thing anonymously.

The first article in the series, is to introduce how The List came to be. Every two weeks I will tell the tale of each boyfriend I have had, and the rule that resulted from each subsequent break up. Normally, I had no trouble writing my articles, but this one was personal, so it was a bit difficult.

Satisfied with my work for the evening, I headed to bed. Tomorrow was a new day, and I was looking forward to it.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Big thanks to my first subscribers and reviewers! You guys are awesome! I'm so excited you like it so far! Enjoy! Here's Chapter2!**

My fuchsia Louboutins clicked on the marble as I sashayed through the lobby toward the bay of elevators where I waited for a lift to take me to the forty-seventh floor. There, REPUBLIC Magazine pumped out advice and style to those who wished they could afford the glorious clothes that graced its glossy pages. I bumped into Esme in the bay.

"There's my rising star! How's the article coming?"

"Just fine, I finished the intro last night. Here, let me know what you think." I fished out a copy of the first of many articles for the series out of my new Alexander McQueen Whipstitch Tote. The damn thing had cost a small fortune, but what girl doesn't deserve a treat every once and awhile?

"I'll take a look at it later," she said dismissively as we climbed into an empty elevator. "I'm sure it's fantastic. Anyway, I wanted to ask you a favor. I know that I have you writing The List, but I have an undercover assignment I'd like you to take on, if possible. We just got a tip of a possible merger happening between KORE Kreative and Dionysus. You and I both know how major that would be if we were the first to scoop the story. Two archenemies in the fashion world suddenly BFFs? Something's up and I want to know what. This is the first time I've heard of it, but my source is rock solid, so obviously I need to follow through. It's major hush hush I'm assuming. Everything is off the radar. I need you to find out why the two companies are suddenly frenemies. Do what you have to. I want the dirty deets ASAP. Think you can handle it on top of The List?"

I knew the two companies, and she was right, this was major. KORE Kreative and Dionysus were head to head in the fashion world. Both were instrumental in what would be hot in the next season. Last winter, Dionysus launched a revolution on their runways with every model wearing elaborate lace hosiery. Neiman Marcus was a practical riot ground for the following week. That was until KORE's runway premiered its new Winter Collection. Every six foot model had bare legs as far as the eye could see. Skin, skin, and more skin. They were even barefoot. Of course on a six foot model, no heels didn't make much difference. It launched a debate for a month on the pros and cons of each look. I would know, it was one of my better literary pieces.

However, the tension between the two companies was equal to that of Angelina vs. Jennifer. So the fact that there was a possibility for a merger between the two companies, was highly suspicious. My interest was piqued.

"Sure, I'll take it. You're right, something has to be up. I'll see what I can find. Where do you think I should start?"

As the doors dinged open on the forty-seventh floor, Esme marched forward toward her office with me in tow. I had always admired how she could command the attention of a room without even trying. While she was brusque and concise in her manner of ways, she was also a very kind and understanding woman. She worked hard, and everyone respected her for it.

"My source tells me that yesterday, he was at a cafe in Chelsea, some little hole in the wall place, and in walks Dominique Morgan, head designer of KORE. He practically squealed in delight and had planned on going up to her and raving about how much he loves her, when in walked Guillermo Romero. After he got over his girlfest, he realized how strange the situation was. Here were the head designers and owners of the companies who headed the fashion rivalry of the century, sitting at a table for two in a dark corner of a cafe. So he pulled his shit together, and listened in since he was only a couple tables away. Most of the conversation was hush hush for awhile, he heard things like "merger" and "partnership" and even a couple of "buy outs". He says that Dominique looked mostly smug during the whole exchange. Toward the end their voices started to rise, and Dominique said "It's your only option, Guillermo. Get out now before you destroy everything you worked for!" Guillermo stomped out after that. My source says Dominique finished her latte and left. Sounds to me like Guillermo is waist deep in something and I need to know what. That's all I know. I can't tell you where to start because, to tell you the truth, this is so out of the blue that I don't know where to begin."

I looked at Esme, she was wearing a black Ralph Lauren pencil skirt with a purple Lanvin scarf blouse, and Jimmy Choo lace peep toe pumps. The ensemble was stunning, and I vaguely wondered if it was inappropriate to ask to borrow your boss's clothing. But as I looked past the composite of designer duds, I noticed she looked as bewildered about the whole thing as I was.

"Well crap, I guess I can start by looking at the basics. Guillermo's personal life might be a start. I heard his wife was seen with Matt Lauer, that hot new actor. Maybe he did something stupid? Oooh, like assault? No, that would be in the paper. No matter. I'm sure I'll find something." After that, Esme dismissed me and I headed to my office. As I walked past the cubicles, I reflected on my career. It had taken me six years to get to where I was. Some people (aka jealous bitches) like to think my family name got me the job. Little do they know how hard I worked. You see my father is the owner of Swan Publishing. He owns several well known magazines, publishing houses, and newspapers. Luckily, REPUBLIC isn't one of them, so I had to get this job on my own merit, and not through nepotism. Others don't see it as such, they think that once you have an in, that's it, you're set for life. They have no idea. I attended Yale as a journalism major and graduated top of my class. Then I applied for every fashion magazine I could find. Finally, I got an interview at REPUBLIC. I started out as a fact checker, then worked to junior editor, writing small pieces here and there, and grammar checking all the senior editors' pieces. After 3 years, I was finally promoted when one of the previous senior editors, Sarah, was fired because she had tried to seduce Esme's husband Carlisle. Esme said the reason was poor work performance, but everyone in the office knew the real reason.

No one doubted Carlisle's devotion and adoration for his wife. They had married young, and had just celebrated their 30th anniversary. I knew they had a son, but Esme gave the impression they didn't talk much. Carlisle was the CEO of the Cullen Group, who owned REPUBLIC, and had given his wife free reign to start REPUBLIC 15 years ago. It was a smashing success, to say the least. Carlisle would often visit his wife in the office, or take her to lunch, and the way he doted upon her, made every person in the office swoon. It would suffice to say that Sarah got jealous, and tried to get in on the action. It ruined her career and the girl now writes for the Pennysaver in some small town in Iowa.

I opened the glass door that stated BELLA SWAN, EDITOR in black block lettering. My desk was scattered with messages, mostly from my mother telling me she had yet another charity function she was hosting where there was a "charming young man" she wanted me to meet. I swear she was relentless in her pursuit of finding me a husband. She tried setting me up with these well-to-do society types. The opposite of what I wanted or liked. I usually went for the anti society type, it was probably just to piss off my mother. Renee Swan had high expectations in life, and she expected the same from her daughter. My mother was eccentric, and I loved her, but man could she drive me up the wall.

I gathered all the messages and filed them away to be dealt with later. I pulled my laptop out of my tote and powered it up. As soon as it was booted up, I opened up an internet search for all things relating to Guillermo Romero. Most of the articles online were about his upcoming show, which was to take place on a dock in the Hamptons. The dock would be the runway and the guests would be seated on yachts on either side. It was brilliant, especially when he was rumored to be doing a nautical theme for his swimwear collection this summer. I had been invited, of course, so I already knew that it was in fact a collection of nautically inspired bathing suits. Other than gossip and rumors of what was to come, nothing stuck out about his life. His wife had been seen with Matt Lauer but it was a publicity stunt for a new film they were doing together. I poured over articles and sites about anything major happening at Dionysus but nothing mentioned KORE and Dionysus together except for their constant bickering of who was better. My only hope now, was to get down and dirty and find an insider who could tell me what was really going on.


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Turns out I'm too impatient to update only once a week. So here's Chapter 3!**

_I remember the first time I laid eyes on Trey. I was at the mall with a group of friends, babbling vapidly about waterproof vs regular eyeliner, sitting in the food court eating fro-yo. My friends had gone quiet and were all starting over my shoulder, so I turned around to see what had them all so distracted. As soon as I turned around, I knew what it was. A group of boys was walking by and right in the center was a boy, no a man, about six foot two with muscles like that of a pro football player. He had dark onyx hair that was slightly curly, and just about the darkest eyes I had ever seen. Our eyes met immediately, and I felt as if we were meant to be. There was no hesitation in his step when he broke off from the group of guys. A hush fell over the table as we all watched him meander over to our table, each girl hoping he was coming to her. His group had stopped and was watching in fascination, nudging and pointing. I could tell they weren't sure if they should follow. When tall, dark, and sexy stopped right in front of me, I looked up into his eyes. _

_"Hey, I'm Trey," he said, looking directly at me. "I noticed you immediately, and I didn't want to lose the chance of asking you out. So, here I am. Want to go out sometime?"_

_It was blunt and straight to the point. No awkward shyness or hesitation. He knew what he wanted and he wasn't afraid to go after it. I admired that immediately._

_"Hi! Um, yeah I would definitely like to go out sometime." I let out a nervous giggle. All of my friends, and his, were staring at us. By now his friends had ambled up behind him, and were eagerly waiting to be introduced to my friends. After that, they all kind of paired up. It worked out perfect actually. _

_After about an hour, all the guys decided they wanted to see a movie and invited us to come. It turned into a quadruple date, each couple going their separate ways after the movie finished. _

_Since I had gotten a ride to the mall with my best friend Jessica, Trey offered me a ride home. I took him up on it, making sure my friends knew, and told my mother I was on my way home. The drive to my house was filled with Trey and I talking about his truck. It was a Ford F-250 Super Duty with a V10 and three hundred ten horsepower. He was instantly impressed with my knowledge of the engine and specs of the truck. Not to toot my own horn, but by the time we reached my house, I think he may have been in love with me. When we arrived at my front door, he told me he wanted to see me again. I told him I was free the next weekend and I would love to see him again as well. We set a date and exchanged phone numbers._

_"For the next week, Trey and I exchanged texts and calls. We spoke everyday, waiting for our date night to arrive. When it finally arrived, I spent 4 hours trying on and rejecting outfit after outfit. Finally, I settled on a distressed denim skirt, a cute blouse, and some sequined flats. _

_It never really occurred to me that Trey and I had never discussed what we were going to be doing for our date. I was on pins and needles when he arrived. He helped me into his truck and we headed out. About ten minutes later, we arrived at a house, where it looked like a full blown party was going on. We walked in and there were bodies everywhere, dancing to the thumping bass blasting through the speakers of what looked like a very expensive sound system. Trey walked me through the house, grabbing me a lukewarm beer in the kitchen, and wandering through to the living room. Most of the guys from the party were seated in front of the huge sixty inch television playing video games. I thought he was just going to greet the guys, but I was severely disappointed when he plopped down in an empty seat and grabbed a controller. Under other circumstances, I probably wouldn't have minded, but I didn't know a single person at this party. All the girls were in their cliques, and Trey hadn't introduced me to anyone, so I stood to the side awkwardly, trying to figure out what to do. About twenty minutes later, I had had enough. None of the guys, or Trey for that matter, had offered me a seat and I was bored. _

_I nudged Trey, trying to get his attention, "Hey, do you want to dance?"_

_He looked at me for a second, "Um, this game hasn't come out yet. This is like my only chance to play. Can we dance later?"_

_"Um, sure?" It came out as more of question, because I was unable to form a coherent response. I was perturbed he was blowing me off so easily. I circled through the house a couple times and tried to be social, but everyone treated me like a pariah. The girls were definitely the worst. I could tell they wanted Trey and I was the girl he had brought, that instantly made me undesirable number one. After another hour of staring at the screen of the television trying to comprehend what the point of it was, I gave up. I told Trey I wanted to go home and that I would find a ride. His response was minimal. I was so shocked and frustrated that I walked out and ignored his texts until he finally got the picture. _

_That night, rule number two came to be: Learn to love video games. Guys love video games. It's a fact. Usually, the more violent, the better._

I sent off installment two of my column to Esme. I figured if I got a jump start on writing the article I could focus on the undercover assignment she wanted me to work on. Staring at my Xbox 360, I thought back to the disaster of a date with Trey. I now thank him, because I love first person shooter games. Bioshock was my game of choice, and in consequence Bioshock 2. Whenever I invited a guy over, he would instantly spot my console and go through my game library. Once he was thoroughly impressed, and slightly more into me, we would fall into bed or on the couch.

Since I didn't have to go into the office today, I decided to see if I could find some dirt on the KORE/Dionysus merger. Since KORE was in the meatpacking district, I decided to snoop around there first. I walked into the warm and humid New York afternoon, dressed in a coral Michael Stars tee and white high-waisted J Brand shorts. My red Yves Saint Laurent espadrilles elongated my toned legs while I stood at the corner of Charles and Bleecker Streets trying to hail a taxi.

When I finally waved one down, I told the driver to drop me off at West Seventeenth Street and Ninth Avenue. I could walk around from there. When we arrived, I tipped te driver and headed toward KORE.

The design studio was located in an old warehouse, that on the outside looked like a normal warehouse, but on the inside I knew that it was all steel beams and glass making it modern and sleek. I walked casually up and down the street a couple times, watching the people coming and going from the building. There seemed to be a lot of activity going on. There was tension in the air. So much so I could almost taste it. Models were bustling in and out of the glass doors and assistants seemed frazzled as they rushed out for coffee. It was as if everyone coming from the building was on edge. As if they were waiting for something big to happen. Perfect.

I was sipping a latte from the coffee cart out front, when Dominique and a group of men in suits came outside. Dominique was talking animatedly, and the men were nodding and talking amongst themselves. Dominique's attention was on the man next to her, and I could see why. He was gorgeous. Broad shoulders tapered down to a slim waist, which was accentuated by his perfectly tailored Armani suit. From where I was standing across the street, I could tell he had light eyes, off set by his strange colored hair. It was almost the color of a shiny new penny, but with lighter gold and auburn streaks. I wanted to run my fingers through it. She looked really excited about something and he smiled and nodded as he bade her good-bye. Gorgeous Mystery Man and the other suits parted ways after shaking hands. I briefly heard them saying they would go over contracts later. I wonder what those contracts contained. Merger documents perhaps?

Mystery Man made his way across the street to the coffee cart I was stalking from. Ahem, I mean observing from.

"Hello, may I please get a cinnamon latte with extra foam?" he asked the barista.

I couldn't take my eyes off of him. I now noticed he was wearing frameless glasses. All of a sudden, I had a thing for nerds. I couldn't miss this chance, I needed to say something. He had to know what was going on at KORE, otherwise he wouldn't have looked so involved with Dominique. He hadn't noticed me yet, so I thought quickly how to introduce myself and not tip him off that I was a columnist. I opened my mouth to say something witty, when my wedge caught on a crack in the cement. It all happened in slow motion, I began to fall forward, my coffee flying out of my hand toward the utterly shocked face of Mystery Man. My latte hit him square in the face, knocking his glasses askew and getting espresso all over his beautiful Peony pink tie.

"OH MY GOD! I am sooo sorry!" I was so embarrassed that I practically assaulted him with a handful of napkins to remove the onsetting stain. I pulled on is tie, yanking his face forward, trying to clean off his wonderful tie. It felt incredibly soft in between my fingers, probably silk. There was no reason for it to be ruined due to my clumsiness.

After several seconds of trying to blot out the espresso, I gave up with a huff. It was useless.

"I am so sorry, I just can't get this out!" I looked up and realized just how close his face was to mine. He had been watching me intently as I tried to help.

"It's alright, I have several. Honestly, it's not a big deal. My mother got it on sale anyway." He was staring at me intently, as if he was trying to look into my soul. His eyes were as crisp and green as fresh cut grass in summer. I found myself getting lost in them.

"I'm Edward. Edward Masen." His introduction snapped me out of my summertime fantasy.

"Hi, I'm Bella. Again, I am so sorry about your tie, I can-"

He cut me off quickly, "Really it's ok. Don't worry about it. Bella? Beautiful in Italian. Well, you certainly live up to your name."

I looked at him incredulously. Was he hitting on me? I did an inner fist pump.

"Oh god, sorry! I didn't mean that. I mean I do. But not like that. Wait, you're gorgeous, but, crap, this is all coming out wrong."

He looked so flustered and adorable, it was like a train wreck I couldn't stop watching. I decided to put him out of his misery. I quickly remembered the reason I needed to befriend him. I needed the inside scoop. I would have to take the lead here.

"Let me make this up to you at least. How about dinner at Sushi Twist tonight? On Madison, between twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth. It's kind of amazing."

He scratched the back of his head and nodded nervously at me, "Sure, that sounds great. Um, should we meet or I can pick you up?"

"Why don't you pick me up? I'm at Charles and Seventh. Give me your phone." He pulled out an iPhone and handed it to me. I quickly programmed in my number. "Call me when you're there, and I'll run down. Let's say at eight?"

"Sure." He seemed slightly dazed. I had a feeling it wasn't everyday that someone mauled him with coffee then proceeded to commandeer his evening for a date.

"See you tonight!" I strutted away with my head held high. This was perfect. I would buy him dinner and drinks, to loosen him up a little, and get him to spill the details on the supposed merger. Sure, it was kind of low balling it to get a story but liquor is the best truth serum.

All of a sudden, my day looked a hell of a lot more promising.


	5. Chapter 4

A/N Chapter 4! My longest one yet!

_"In my senior year in high school, I met Michael. He was the epitome of the All American boy. He had a boyish face, clear baby blues, and a perfectly spiked head of golden blonde hair. He was the star quarterback, lacrosse captain, and head volunteer at the local food kitchen. He didn't come from money, but he worked hard at his parent's modest sporting goods store, and was an absolute sweetheart. His carefree, almost reckless, personality was a refreshing break from my mother's high society soirees, banquets, and hoity toity dinner parties. He made me feel young, the 17 years I actually was, and not like the adult my parents thought they birthed. _

_Michael and I started out well. Kisses in the hallways, notes in each other's lockers, and make out sessions in the back seat of his bright yellow Camaro. We usually hung out at home, more often my house than not. But on the 1 month anniversary of our being together, Michael told me he planned a big surprise evening. I was ecstatic, of course, because it was a great change of pace to our usual, "your house or mine", repertoire. Being the girl that I am, I went out and bought a beautiful new dress. I was over the moon happy. Michael arrived on time, and helped me into his car. We drove for 45 minutes to Port Angeles where he parked in front of Bella Italia. I had been there before with my family, and knew it was an expensive restaurant. I was thrilled at the idea that Michael thought I was special enough and had saved to make this night possible. We were seated, and a waitress took our drink orders. After a __wonderful meal, light conversation, and a shared dessert, the check finally came. Michael grabbed the folder, scanned it, looked up and said, "Ok, so yours was $45." _

_I was beyond confused._

_"Excuse me?" I needed him to clarify if he was expecting me to pay for my half of the date. _

_"Your entree, and half of the dessert came out to $45. We can split the tip." He repeated. _

_"I'm sorry, I don't think I understand what's happening right now. Are you telling me that you are asking me to pay half the tab of the date YOU planned for us? I didn't even bring my wallet, Michael."_

_"Why not? You know I can't afford a place like this." _

_"If you can't afford it why did you bring us here?"_

_"Because I know you like stuff like this. I thought it would be fun to do something different."_

_"In theory, yes, Michael, this would have been fun, if I had been told I would need to pay for my meal! Who plans a romantic date and expects the girl to pay?!"_

_"I don't see what the big deal is. I've dated girls who didn't mind paying."_

_I stared at him dumbfounded, pulled out my phone, and texted our driver Felix to come pick me up. Luckily he was already in Port Angeles at some charity benefit with my parents. 10 minutes of awkward silence later, Felix let me know he was outside. I flagged down our waitress, grabbed the billfold, and tossed Michael's money back at him. I handed the billfold to the bewildered waitress and said, "Please bill my father, your restaurant has his information on file." She nodded and walked away. Turning to Michael with sarcasm dripping from every word, "Thanks for a WONDERFUL evening, Michael." _

_While I didn't mind paying for the dinner, as I have many times since then, I realized that paying for myself or my date, gives me a sense of power. Guys think it's great, and I feel like I'm in control of what's going on. So, rule number three came to be: Pay for yourself, and sometimes your date. Keeps him on his toes."_

After sending off another installment of The List, I pranced around my apartment in my La Perla black lace lingerie, contemplating whether or not this date with Edward was a good idea. On one hand, Edward was totally gorgeous in that nerdy geek squad kind of way, and I could tell there was something different about him. I felt exposed when he looked at me, vulnerable even, it sent tingles up my spine, in a good way. I had never felt that with anyone, and I had only just met him. If I did pursue anything with him, for real, the issue of him finding out I was initially using him for a story, the whole thing would blow up in my face. Then I would have no boy and no story. On the other hand, I could lead him on and stay emotionally detached. For all I know, he might be a total ass and I may not like him at all beyond what I've seen so far. Then I would have my story and I could drop him faster than last seasons Gucci fringe boots.

I weighed my options, and the likely outcome of each scenario. I sifted through my gargantuan closet, trying to find the perfect outfit. I found myself in this position more than I cared to admit.

After several minutes of sorting through my mountains of clothing, I finally settled on a vibrant blue Miu Miu dress. The V-neck showed enough cleavage where I didn't look like a prostitute but it would give Edward a hint of what was beneath. I paired it with a pair of black patent leather Christian Dior cut out pumps. I looked fantastic if I do say so myself.

About five minutes before eight, my phone started ringing. I picked it up and read EDWARD on the screen.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Edward. I'm downstairs. Are you ready or should I wait?"

"No I'm ready. I'll be down in a minute."

"Ok."

I grabbed my Marc Jacobs studded handbag as I headed out the front door. When I got out into the street, I looked around for Edward. He was leaning against a new Mercedes SLS. I may have drooled a bit.

"Wow an SLS! Is it an E-Cell?" I started to enact my rules without even realizing it. Obviously my subconscious had other ideas about being emotionally unattached.

"Um, a what? I'm actually borrowing it. I like it because it looked like the classic 300SL with a modern twist. I really don't know much about the car itself. I'm not much into cars."

Uh oh.

"Oh, I mean, is it gas or electric? It looks like an E-Cell, but those aren't supposed to come out yet! How did you get one?" I circled the car, taking in the glossy cherry red paint. I couldn't look away.

"A friend of mine works as an engineer for Mercedes, and I figured this was better than taking a cab. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. This is great. Are you ready? I'm starved."

"Yeah, let's go."

Edward opened my door for me, helped me in, and shut it behind me. What a gentleman. He got into the driver's seat and started the car. I felt like I was sitting inside a wild cat. It purred beneath me and sent a thrill up my spine.

The ride to Sushi Twist was filled with small conversation, and I found myself liking him more and more. I found out he worked at a law firm. I had guessed as much, and I knew he worked with KORE after seeing him talking so closely with Dominique. It was obvious he was handling whatever was going on, but he didn't give me any clues. He didn't try to impress me with his job or his clients. He was so humble. He talked a little about his mom and dad, and how he didn't talk to them much because he had chosen a career path different than what they had wanted. Apparently, his father had wanted someone to take over his business, but Edward wasn't interested. However, his parents had become more accepting in his career choice over the years.

I told him I was a freelance stylist. I figured technically it wasn't a complete lie. I knew fashion, gave advice on it, and I could get away with it. I wrote about style everyday at REPUBLIC. Yeah, definitely not a complete lie.

When we pulled up to Sushi Twist, the valet opened my door and helped me out of the car. If you know the SLS you know that getting out of the car is twice as hard as getting in it, when you're wearing a dress. Gullwing doors were not invented for those of us who liked to keep our legs together while wearing a mini skirt, unlike some starlets nowadays.

Sushi Twist had an unassuming front. It was a glass door that opened into a narrow establishment. The ambience of the restaurant was intimate but not overly so. Behind the bar that spanned the right side of the restaurant, the name of the restaurant was backlit deep purple. On the left, tables for two were set with chopsticks and a single votive. We were seated immediately, as it was a well kept secret that this place had the best sushi around so there usually weren't a ton of people. We sat down and ordered drinks. A pomegranate martini for me and a beer for Edward.

Once we sat down and decided what to order, Edward asked about what I liked to do in my spare time.

"Well, let's see. I love fashion, obviously, since I'm a stylist. I love playing video games, I have an obsession with first person shooters. Do you play?"

"Not really, I don't have time most days. My best friend is really into video games though."

Crap! What the hell?! He doesn't know cars, and he doesn't know video games! ABORT! ABORT!

I decided to turn the conversation away from me, and focussed on Edward. I found out he was an only child, hated the words "moist" and "slippery", and was a total movie buff. We talked for about 2 hours, about anything and everything. As we finished up dessert, Edward lightly caressed the top of my hand with his finger tips. The electricity that ignited spread through my body like a white hot blaze that ended up right between my legs. I had never felt anything like it.

"Bella, I want to make my intentions perfectly clear. I really like you. I've only known you for about 12 hours, but feel a connection that I've never felt with anyone. I want to get to know you, but I want you to know this isn't just a quick fuck kind of thing. You're beautiful, smart, and funny as all hell."

The word "fuck" coming out of his beautiful mouth sent a zing directly to my center. His gaze held mine. His eyes darkening, trying to convey his desire for me, but also trying to tell me he meant what he was saying. I felt terrible that I was deceiving him, so I looked to the side avoiding eye contact, in what I hope was a demure way.

"I like you too Edward. You're right. I haven't felt this way about anyone either. There's something here and I want to explore it," I told him honestly. I did like him. I knew I was treading dangerous water, but maybe I could make this really work. He would never have to know about the story. I looked at Edward with what I hoped was longing and not guilt.

Just then, the waitress, flounced up, interrupting our moment, and placed the bill on our table while lightly caressing Edward's arm. I was immediately surprised with the red hot jealousy that surged through my body. I grabbed the billfold, placed my card inside, and thrust it at the girl. "Thanks." The waitress took it, and flittered away, but not before throwing Edward a wink over her shoulder.

"Bella, I wanted to treat you to dinner."

"I told you I was buying you dinner. I ruined your tie this morning."

"I agreed to come because I wanted to spend time with you, this is a date, not a repayment for a stupid tie. I should be paying. My mother raised me to take care of a lady. I will never be comfortable with you paying for anything."

Crap, again! But his words turned my insides to goo. How sweet was he?

"It's ok I promise, it's still a date. You can pay next time." I winked at him when I stated this, a not so subtle hint that I expected a second date.

His smile was blinding. "Deal."

The waitress returned with my receipt while she slipped a piece of paper to Edward before she walked away. I knew it was her phone number, and it made me want to rip out her fake blonde extensions.

Edward smiled politely, and turned his attention back to me. Once I finished signing the receipt, with only a 5% tip for the waitress, Edward did the last thing I expected. He took the piece of paper the waitress had slipped him, and placed it right on top of the billfold.

"Shall we?" He asked, offering his hand to help me out of the booth.

"Why thank you, sir," I replied cheekily.

A comfortable silence enveloped the car on the drive back to my apartment. When we arrived, Edward helped me out of the car once again, and walked me to the door of my building. We looked at each other, and nervously laughed. I wanted to invite him up, but I didn't want this to be about sex. Just as I was about to explain this, Edward wound his fingers into my hair and attached his mouth to mine, in the most searing, toe curling kiss I had ever experienced. We aligned perfectly. It was as if two puzzle pieces had come together for a perfect fit. It was as if his hands knew my body already, caressing and touching all the right places to set my body on fire. I tugged at his messy hair, and pulled him closer when he moaned into my mouth. Soon the kiss turned desperate, carnal, and needy. His hand traveled down my side and grabbed my thigh to hitch it over his hip as his lips sent a wet hot trail down my throat toward my cleavage. Kissing had never felt this way. My body felt fuzzy, gooey, and alive all at once.

A cough interrupted our lust induced haze. I looked up to see my doorman, Clarence, blushing. "Good evening Miss Bella."

"Hi Clarence. I'm sorry. We got a little carried away."

"That's ok Miss Bella. I remember when my wife and I were like that." He smiled at us, and returned to his post at the desk.

I looked to Edward who was staring intently at me taking deep breaths, and muttering what sounded like calming words.

"Are you ok?" I asked him.

"Yes, just give me a second. I'm sorry. I didn't intend to maul you in front of your building, I promise, but this dress has been driving me wild all night, and I had to feel you."

"I like it when you maul me." I said with a smirk. He laughed lightly while extricating himself from my hold. He kissed me lightly, on the lips, seeming to hold himself back.

"Goodnight, Bella. I look forward to seeing you soon."

"Goodnight, Edward. Text me when you get home?"

"Will do, gorgeous. Bye."

I watched his tall statuesque form walk to his car and enfold himself into it. I felt the rumble of the engine in my bones until he turned the corner out of sight. I turned toward my building, walking past Clarence, bidding him a good night, and called an elevator. As I rode up by myself, I reflected on the wonderful evening I had had. I had never felt so connected to someone. We had several things in common, but what really threw me was our chemistry. NEVER, had anyone made my body feel that way. Even when he was just looking at me, I felt like I would burst into flames. This was definitely more than just a story for me now. But what was most troubling was that 3 of my List's rules didn't effect him. I had never encountered that. Every guy I had dated was susceptible to The List. Maybe it was a fluke, maybe those are the only ones that don't work on him.

As I was getting ready for bed, my phone pinged.

**I just got home. I had a wonderful evening, gorgeous. Is it too soon to ask for a second date? -E**

A smile spread across my face as I giggled like a school girl.

**Of course not. I had a wonderful evening, too, handsome. -B**

**My case load is pretty intense right now during the week, but can we plan for next weekend? I can't wait to see you again. - E**

**It's a date! -B**

**Perfect! Sweet dreams beautiful. - E**

**Good night! -B**

I hugged my phone to my chest, and got into bed. I reread his texts with a goofy grin on my face. I thought about our kiss in the lobby, and how his hands and lips felt on me. Sweet dreams indeed.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N So to clarify, Bella had drinks with Esme on a Friday night, wrote the first article on a Sunday, met Edward Tuesday, date Tuesday, and it is now Thursday and Friday.**

Hot. Touch. Wet. Caress. Skin. Tongues. Fire. Push. Pull. Electricity. SLAM! I jumped at the sound of a stack of papers being dropped on my desk.

"You were out of it again," my assistant and best friend, Alice, playfully scolded.

"I'm sorry. I'm all over the place lately." I shuffled papers around my desk and avoided eye contact with my nosey friend. It had only be 2 days since I had seen Edward last and the thoughts of our kiss consumed my every thought. We had been texting non-stop but I had yet to hear from him this morning.

"So who is he?" Crap. I don't know how she did that.

"Who?" I asked, trying to play innocent.

"Don't give me that bullshit, Swan. You may be able to pull off that innocent shit with other people, but not with me."

I scowled at her with what I hoped was a withering glare. No such luck.

"Fine, don't tell me. But you will. You can't keep things from me. Anyways, have you heard? Esme is over the moon today! Apparently, her son met someone. She always said she thought he might be gay because he never dated, or hadn't in a really long time. That part is unclear. BUT, apparently she received her monthly call from him, and he told her he met someone! She's absolutely besotted. She's telling EVERYONE, 'My baby boy met someone!' It's absolutely hysterical! She's so high on happiness. I bet you could ask for a raise for me today, and she would say yes. Hint hint."

I giggled at Alice's ability to say so much in such a short period of time. "What's the deal with that? Why does he only call like once a month? He lives here in the city, right? How hard is it to talk to the woman that birthed you? Esme is one of the most amazing women I've ever met!"

It was true, Esme was the mother I wish I had in Renee. She was high society, but all class. She didn't flaunt her wealth, or make others feel less for not having it. She was driven, kind, and just all around incredible.

"From what I can gather, from the watered down rumor mill. Apparently, they had a falling out several years ago. Something happened with an ex of his. It caused a rift in the family. No one really knows anything about him because Esme is pretty tight lipped about him. He apparently, doesn't like being associated as a Cullen. Can't imagine why. That family is so beautiful. . . ."

Alice's tirade faded as I wandered into my own thoughts. Why would Esme's son want so little to do with such an amazing family? Sure they had money, but they were so well known for their charitable work, and open hearts. What could possibly have happened where someone became so closed off? It was sad really, and I felt myself feeling sad for the son I didn't know, and even more so for Esme, who obviously loved her son very much.

My thoughts, and Alice's soliloquy, were interrupted when my phone pinged. I looked at the screen to see EDWARD, making my face split into a shit eating grin.

**Hi there Beautiful. -E**

I quickly texted him back.

**Hi :) -B**

**I can't stop thinking about the other night. This weekend cannot come soon enough. -E**

**I feel the same way. Work is dragging. I was sad when I didn't wake up to a text this morning ;) - B**

**I'm sorry, gorgeous. I was called in early for a deposition on a case I'm working on. - E**

**That's ok, I was just teasing you - B**

**I like it when you tease me ;) - E**

I blushed bright red at that last text, which was rare. Luckily, Alice had slunk out of my office just minutes prior, and had not witnessed the indiscretion.

**I may or may not have fun doing it - B**

**I bet you do. What are you doing this afternoon? I happen to have had a cancelled appointment, and was wondering if I could ask you to accompany me to lunch? - E**

I sighed in disappointment.

**I would LOVE to, but my assistant just dropped a stack of articles I have to edit and -** I quickly deleted the text, remembering that I was supposed to be a stylist.

**I wish I could, but unfortunately, a demanding client asked for a last minute appointment! -B**

**Alright, beautiful. Maybe next time? I'll let you get to your appointment. -E**

**Definitely**** next time! -B**

He didn't text back, and I dove head first into the stack of articles I needed to edit. Time flew by, and next thing I know it's time to head home. Luckily I got everything done, which meant I could work on the undercover assignment for awhile tomorrow. I was hoping I could get something without using Edward. Just as I was about to close up my office, Alice appeared out of nowhere at my elbow.

"JESUS Pixie! You scared the shit out of me! Wear a bell or something!"

Alice giggled, and grabbed my arm and dragged me to her desk.

"Jasper just called, he said he and a friend were at the bar on the corner. He wants to meet up, and asked you to come!"

"Is he trying to set me up again!? I swear you guys are almost as bad as my mother, Alice."

"It's not a set up. It's just a friend. Aaaannnnnddddd, if you happen to hit it off, no big deal."

I rolled my eyes at the small woman who barely reached my shoulder but somehow managed to coerce me to do things I never wanted to do.

"Fine, but only because I need a drink."

"Deal!"

We headed downstairs, and walked out the sleek and glossy lobby toward the upscale bar on the corner of the block. I was dimly lit, with a long sleek mahogany bar, top shelf, booze, and all the Wall Street types you could imagine.

Alice looked around, quickly spotting Jasper, her husband, near the back in a booth. As we approached the table, the other man sitting with him turned and gave me the widest smile. He was broad, built like a football player, curly dark hair, light blue eyes, and the most adorable dimples. Normally, I would have heavily flirted with him, enacted the list and we would have ended up at either of our places. But as soon as we laid eyes on each other, all I thought of, was Edward.

Jasper and the other man, stood up to let us into the booth. Introductions were made. The friend's name was Emmett. He was a designer, he didn't say for who, which was odd, and apparently was currently separated from his wife. While Alice and Jasper were in their own little bubble, as they often were, Emmett told me he was still madly in love with his wife. Her name was Rose, she was a model. He said he was trying to work things out with her, and that Jasper had asked him to come out to get his mind off their problems. We spoke candidly for a couple hours, I tried to give him advice on what she might be feeling. Apparently, she thought he had cheated because he was being secretive about his work. He told me it wasn't that, there was just something happening that he was literally under contract not to discuss with anyone, not even his wife. I felt bad for him. It must be very hard to be in that position, not being to tell the love of your life you aren't cheating, but can't provide an alibi due to a contract. It seemed so unfair to me.

"Thanks for listening, Bella."

"No problem, I'm sorry they tried to set us up. It's very apparent you are still very much in love with your wife. I really it hope it works out for you two. I would love to meet her. She seems amazing."

"I think you guys would get along great. I'll try and explain the situation to her. Hopefully she understands. I've never given her reason to doubt me, I swear. We were talking about kids. I want a family with her, I want the white picket fence, the BBQs, everything!"

"If she loves you Emmett, she'll try to work it out with you. It sounds like she is insecure or stressed right now. You mentioned she was having trouble with booking her usual gigs, right? She's probably feeling like everything is crumbling around her. Be her support system. Do small things for her that, normally, would go unnoticed, but will probably be appreciated now. She needs you as much as you need her."

"You're right. Tomorrow I'll make sure her favorite lunch is delivered to her. She denies liking it because its 'too many calories', but I know it's her guilty pleasure."

"There you go!"

As we said out goodbyes, Emmett gave me a bear hug that lifted me off the floor. We exchanged numbers so he could vent, talk, and ask for advice when it came to Rose. I told him to be upfront about who I was so she won't feel threatened about him talking to some woman she doesn't know. He agreed and said he would tell her immediately.

We said our goodbyes to Jasper and Alice, and went our separate ways. As I hailed a cab to the West Village, my phone vibrated in my hand.

**What are you up to? -E**

**Just had drinks with some friends -B**

**Not "guy" friends I hope? ;) -E**

As I slipped into the cab, I laughed out loud at his not so subtle hint of jealousy.

**Both were married, you have nothing to worry about :) -B**

It made my insides warm that he was already kind of jealous.

**Good, I wouldn't want to have to bust in any heads tonight. -E**

**Ha ha. Very funny. No I'm in a cab as we speak. On my way home. -B**

**Text me when you get home safe. -E**

**Ok -B**

Several minutes later, I handed money to the cabbie, passed Antonio, another one of our doormen, and called an elevator. Once inside my apartment, I plugged in my phone, removed my makeup, brushed my teeth, and slipped into my bed. I texted Edward letting him know that I was home safe and going to bed.

**Sweet Dreams, Beautiful. I look forward to our date this weekend :) -E**

**Me too :) -B**

I can't remember the last time I had such an amazing night's sleep.

* * *

The next morning, I woke to the blaring sounds of construction outside. Some moron was renovating the brownstone next door, and somehow thought that their timeline to getting it done was more important that the blocks' sleep schedule. It was 7am, and I wasn't even due at work until 9am. Ugh. Fuck my life!

I got up, went about my daily routine, and decided on my attire. I grabbed my JCrew white trouser shorts, an Armani red scarf blouse, and my Louboutin tan canvas espadrilles. I decided to throw my hair into a chignon, and topped it all off with a wicker Kate Spade clutch.

**Hello, did you sleep well? -E**

**Hi there. I did! I slept like the dead. -B**

**So did I. What are you up to? -E**

**Just headed to work uptown. You? -B**

**Already at work. Slow day though, which is a nice change of pace. -E**

**That's good. -B**

**Yes it is. Are you available for lunch today m'lady? -E**

**Why yes, kind sir, I am. -B**

**Perfect! I can't wait until tomorrow to see you so I figured I might see if you were able to have lunch. Where should I get you? I'm on 5th and 57th. -E**

**I can't wait! I'm only a few blocks away. I can meet you at Petrossian? at 12:30? -B**

**Sounds wonderful. I can't wait to see you, beautiful. -E**

I headed uptown to my office, making a quick trip there to do some preliminary research for the undercover article. I decided the best way to go about this was follow the people the story was revolving around. Dominique and Guillermo were at the top of the list. Their spouses would be next, then top tier employees. Linkedin is a wonderful tool. I then googled as much about Dominique and Guillermo as I could, anything about their spouses, and their kids if they had them. I learn that KORE is privately owned by Dominique, but Guillermo's company, Dionysus, is publicly traded. Dominique's husband Thomas, had funded Dominique's initial start-up, long before they were married. Eventually they got married, and had two girls, twins, who were now in their early twenties. Guillermo had had a bit of a rough patch about 3 years ago, sales had declined, and he made his company public and took on more investors. Everyone wanted a piece of Dionysus. Ever since, he's been rolling in the dough. I found it odd that he made such a quick turn around for his new investors.

Just before noon there was a light knock on my door. Alice poked her head in.

"Hey there, this came for you . . . " She opened the door wider and stepped aside, allowing what looked like a bouquet with legs through the door. A shy, pimply faced teenager peeked around the ostentatious arrangement and gulped.

"H-h-hello. Um. I have a delivery for a Miss Swan?"

"That's me. You can set them on the corner of my desk."

"Um, ok." He quickly did as I requested and scurried our of my office. I looked at the flamboyant flowers, they were definitely not my style, or even my favorite flowers. I secretly hoped they were from only one person. But I hadn't told him where I worked. Had I?

"Oooh look, there's a card! I knew you were seeing someone!" Alice grabbed the card and thrust it at me.

I opened it to see a typed message:

**Thinking about you. I'll be in town next week. Can't wait to see you.**

**-James**

I immediately tossed the card in the garbage, and told Alice to get rid of flowers, or she could have them if she wanted.

"They're from James." I said no more.

"Ugh, when will he take a hint? It's been what? 8 months? Dude, move on with you life."

"Right?! I don't know how many times I can say 'No' to one guy! I thought him going on assignment to the Paris office would make him realize nothing was ever going to happen! I thought maybe he would meet someone, fuck someone, anything! This is ridiculous. If you're going to send a girl flowers, at least make sure they're a kind she likes. I'm allergic to Chrysanthemums for crying out loud!"

Alice nodded and took the vase filled with the outrageously large bouquet. It was amusing to see Alice try to move something almost as big as she was. I glanced at the clock, realizing I was going to be late to my lunch with Edward if I didn't hurry. I quickly shut down my computer, packed it up, and told Alice she could go home.

I sprinted out of the lobby toward Petrossian, glanced at my phone, and realized I only had 10 minutes to get there. Normally, I would have walked, but the James flowers had thrown me off kilter, and I didn't have time now. I hailed a cab quickly, told him where to take me. The cab ride was only 7 minutes, but Edward was of course already there. He was standing outside the restaurant, in a black pinstripe suit, white dress shirt, and a dark blue tie. He looked every bit the lawyer. Tall, lean, sexy. Woman literally stopped in the tracks to look at him, but he was too busy fiddling with his phone to notice. I admired him for a moment from afar. It didn't last long. It was as if he had radar that could detect me. As soon as he lifted his eyes from his phone, they locked onto mine. Green to brown. Heat seared through me like a wildfire. He quickly strode over to me and enveloped me in his arms, and needing no invitation, his mouth locked onto mine. My hands were quickly in his hair. Tugging the silky soft strands of copper. Before things got too heated, we separated our lips, but his arm were still firmly around me. Our foreheads touched, our breaths intermingling in the air between us.

"Hi" He smiled sheepishly at me. He hadn't opted to wear glasses today, so I had an unobstructed view to his mossy green orbs.

"Hi" I replied, biting my lip.

He groaned, and took my lip between his teeth while he kissed me again. "That lip biting thing drives me nuts."

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"Don't be, it's the best kind of torture." He released me from his arms but quickly took my hand in his. It was warm, soft, and much larger than mine.

We walked into the restaurant, up to the snooty looking waitress at the hostess stand. She looked up, seeing Edward first, causing her to smile brightly, until her eyes saw me. She grimaced, but plastered a fake smile on her face anyway.

"Hi, welcome to Petrossian. How many?" Her eyes were glued to Edward as she practically purred at him.

"Two please." Edward replied while looking at me. It seemed to miff her that he wasn't even paying attention to her.

"Of course, right this way." She led us to the middle of the restaurant, to a table for two that did nothing to provide an intimate atmosphere. Edward wasn't having it.

"May we please have one of the booths for two please? We'd like a little privacy."

She scrunched her nose. "I don't think there any available, sir."

"You're kidding me right? I can see four empty booths right over there." Edward pointed to the back of the restaurant where there were indeed four empty intimate booths. "Are we going to have a problem here?"

"Of course not, sir, I apologize. Right this way." She seated us quickly and walked away in a huff, stomping her cheap heels.

Edward looked at me and we laughed. It was obvious he knew what she was doing, but had blatantly ignored her attempts to gain his attention.

Edward found ways to touch me all through lunch. He would tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, touch my cheek, wipe off food he claimed was at the corner of my mouth. We whispered and laughed in our bubble about things that didn't matter. we learned more about each other in the hour we had. His favorite color was blue, he enjoyed kayaking, and hiking, and had a dog named Ruffles when he was 8. Ruffles had a nasty habit of peeing on their white carpet and they eventually had to give him to another family. The time we spent was light and fun, but there was an undercurrent of something that buzzed just below the surface. I could feel it in my skin. I was hyper aware of him.

Edward paid the bill, walked me out to the curb and hailed me a cab. Before getting in, he kissed me until my lungs burned and I had to come up for air. We said our goodbyes that seemed to have a solemnity to it. Neither of us wanted to go, but we had to.

As my cab turned the corner, I contemplated what I would do if Edward found out I was using him. I knew without a doubt that I had feelings for him. I didn't know what those feelings were yet, but they were strong. I just hoped I didn't mess this up, or everything would crumble around me.


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N I'm on a roll! I can't type fast enough, this story just flows out! It's practically writing itself at this point! Thank you so much to my followers and reviewers! It's so exiting to get feedback! Love you guys!**

**PS to clarify, Edward is 33 and Bella is 28.**

As the cab drove me further away from my incredible lunch with Edward, I instructed the driver to take me me to the East Village. I decided to search at the headquarters of Dionysus. I had no idea what the fuck I was doing. This story had me so up in arms my head was spinning. I had no idea where to start. I figured this was my best bet. Once the cabbie dropped me across the street from Dionysus, I leaned against a tree and pulled out my phone. I watched the entrance to Dionysus for 20 minutes, it was eerily quiet. No one went in, no one came out. Then, the front door opened. Out walked the last person I expected to see.

"THEO?!"

The tall skinny man, whipped his head around to see who had called his name. His eyes grew wide, then broke into a face splitting grin.

"Bella?"

I jogged across the street and practically leapt onto him. He caught me easily and spun me around while we laughed.

"Oh my god! I haven't seen you since college! How are you?! What are you up to? What are you doing here? I thought you lived in Chicago now?!"

Theo had been my best friend at Yale. He had majored in business and economics and minored in accounting. We had met at his fraternity's party. We hit it off immediately, and he eventually told me he was gay and dating one of his fraternity brothers. It hadn't worked out between them, and he had been heartbroken, but our relationship failures brought us closer together. He knew all about The List.

"It's so good to see you Bells. I was in Chicago, I transferred here about 2 years ago. I had no idea you were here! I work here at Dionysus. I ended up being their head of Accounting and Payroll. How are you!? What have you been up to? What are you doing these days?"

"I'm good! Great lately, actually. I met someone. It's new and I don't want to jinx it, but he's special. I can feel it in my bones. You work here? This is perfect! Can I ask you the most huge favor ever. Like possibly, EVER?"

"Of course you can! You set me up with Laurent senior year, we're still together! Hell, we're planning on getting married in 4 months! You have to come!"

"That's so wonderful! Congratulations! Of course I'll be there!" I was genuinely happy that Theo still had Laurent. They had been a beautiful couple. "Ok, so can I look at the Dionysus accounts? I'm sure there are huge ethical issues with that, but I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate."

He raised his brow quizzically but nodded. "Sure, lets do it from my house though, I can remotely access the computers from there. I already told them I was leaving, so it would be weird to come back with someone. Would you like to stay for dinner? Laurent is making your favorite, mushroom ravioli. You know the man is unchallenged when it comes to pasta. I think it's the Italian in him. That's also probably what makes him such a passionate lover . . . "

"Ok TMI babe, hahaha. That would be great! I haven't had his pasta in so long! I would love to. Let's stop at the store and I'll buy us a few bottles of wine?"

"Deal!"

Theo hailed a cab, we paused briefly at the wine store on 7th Ave, then proceeded to his apartment on the Upper West Side. He and Laurent shared a gorgeous one bedroom apartment on Riverside. It was open, warm, and inviting.

"I love what you've done with the place."

"Thank you! It's mostly Laurent, he's the homemaker in this relationship haha! He should be home in about an hour. Let me get my laptop and we can look at those accounts."

"Great! Thanks!"

i set my things down on a chair near the door. And wandered aimlessly. There were photos of Laurent and Theo on vacation in various places, photos with their families, and several photos of gorgeous baby girl. Theo re-entered the room.

"Hey Theo, who's this?" I asked, pointing to the baby girl.

He smiled fondly, gazing at the photo. "That's Camden. She's the baby girl from Somalia we are adopting. We can't have her until after the marriage happens, but she's absolutely perfect and we can't wait to have her."

"That's so amazing, Theo. I'm so happy you have everything you wanted."

"Thanks Bells."

He sat down on the cream canvas couch, and started up his macbook. He typed for a few minutes and handed it over to me. The screen showed a remote desktop.

"This is the main server's computer."

"Thanks!"

I quickly opened the utilities folder and typed in the coding to make any hidden files visible. As soon as I hit enter, one file popped up on the desktop.

"I've never seen that file before. Damn, Bella. How did you do that?"

"I learned it from a tech geek I dated. I sometimes hide stuff I'm working on in hidden files so no one can see them."

I clicked on the folder labeled OSACCOUNTS. There were 4 different files located within it. SWITZERLAND. GERMANY. FRANCE. ITALY. I clicked on Switzerland. A single PDF document was located there. I opened it up. A page with numbers. It didn't make any sense. So I asked Theo.

"I think they're account numbers. The routing number is at the top. Then each number following is a separate account."

"Can I print this?"

"Sure, it's wireless."

I quickly printed out the page, closed it and opened the next file. Each country had a single PDF, all with the same number formats. I printed them all. Once I was done, I closed out of the file, and made it hidden again.

"Can we access the company's accounts from here?"

"Sure." Theo typed a few things and returned the laptop to me.

I scanned the spreadsheets, nothing seemed to be amiss. But I had a feeling something was off.

"Did you do these?" I asked Theo.

"No, Guillermo has an accountant on retainer for the quarterly numbers and stocks. I work mostly with the expenses and payroll."

"When did he get a separate accountant?"

"About 3 years ago, I think"

About the time that the company went public.

"Can I print these? For the last 3 years? I'll buy you ink and paper."

"Sure, I'm not sure what's going on Bells, but is this something I need to worry about?"

"Not at the moment. Just keep your eyes and ears peeled for anything weird, ok? Something is happening with Dionysus. Something big."

I started to print all the relevant files and account information, it was going to take time to print 3 years worth of stuff.

About 20 minutes later, Laurent walked in.

"BELLARINA!"

"Oh god, please stop calling me that! I was 5 ok!? I thought being a ballerina was a legitimate career choice for me at the time! Then I realized I couldn't dance and I had 2 left feet for most of my adolescence."

Laurent guffawed. "I'm just messing with you Bella, it's great to see you! You look amazing!"

"It's so great to see you Laurent! You look fantastic too! I hear you guys are getting married and adopting! That's so exciting!"

"We're pretty stoked about it. We can't wait to be daddies!"

Laurent started making dinner, while Theo and I sat at the breakfast bar, watching him flit around the kitchen. We gabbed, drank wine, and laughed. It felt great to have my old friends back.

Dinner was delicious. I didn't expect anything less. It helped that Laurent was the head chef at Babbo, Mario Batali's restaurant. After dinner we sat on the couch, consuming inappropriate amounts of wine. We caught of on years of being apart. It took 3 hours to print all the information I needed from Theo. I thanked him profusely, and said my goodbyes to the boys with the promise of getting together next week at my place.

I decided to grab a cab again, since I didn't think it would be a good idea to take the subway while this intoxicated. Once in the cab, I took out my cell. I had seven missed texts from Edward.

**I miss you already, is that normal since I saw you only an hour ago? - E**

**What are you up to, Beautiful? -E**

**I'm sorry if I'm freaking you out. -E**

**Bella? -E**

**I'm worried now Bella. -E**

**I'm starting to panic Bella, I don't know if you've been hurt or not. -E**

**Bella please! -E**

The last one had been sent only 9 minutes ago. I quickly messaged him back.

**Edward, I am so sorry! I ran into a friend I haven't seen in years! I didn't mean to worry you. -B**

He called me seconds later.

"Oh thank God, Bella. I've been worried sick! At first I thought I scared you off with telling you I missed you already, and then you didn't answer any of my texts for 3 hours!"

"I'm so sorry Edward. I was catching up with two friends from college, Theo and Laurent. They're getting married in a few months and were telling me all about it. Then we ate dinner and drank a few bottles of wine. I'm sorry I worried you." I opted not to tell him about the Dionysus research.

"I'm just glad you're ok beautiful. That's all that matters."

"I am. I promise. I actually just pulled up to my place. Hang on, I have to pay the cabbie."

I paid the cab driver $20 and told him to keep the change and quickly went up to my apartment. Once inside Edward and I continued our conversation, and made plans to meet tomorrow afternoon for a picnic in Central Park. Edward said he would pick me up at 11:30 in the morning and take me to go get food.

After hanging up, I smiled to myself, absolutely amazed that in just a few days, I was starting to fall in love with such an amazing man. What baffled me the most was that despite the failure of my List attributes so far, Edward seemed to like me anyways.

Before heading to bed, I decided to hop on the treadmill. I was still slightly drunk, but I hadn't worked out in a few days which was rare for me. I generally worked out 4 days a week. I put in my headphones and zoned out, letting my muscles burn and pushing myself further to make up for some of the exercise I had missed. I sobered up quickly, and ran 10 miles.

After sweating my balls off, I showered and crawled into bed. I hadn't realized how exhausted I was until my head hit the pillow and sleep instantly overtook me.

* * *

My alarm went off at 10 am Saturday morning. I had slept for 13 hours! I stretched my muscles, still sore from the run I took the night before, and got out of bed. I quickly pulled on a pair on rolled hem denim shorts, a white camisole, and my white sheer Theory blouse. Cute and causal. I tossed my hair into a messy bun with a few tendrils falling in my face, then applied light makeup. I ran around my apartment trying to find my Oliver Peoples oversized sunglasses. I finally found them under a pile of Hermes scarves I really needed to get rid of.

As I waved my sunglasses around in victory, my phone rang. EDWARD. I smiled.

"Helloooo?"

"I'm downstairs whenever you're ready."

"Give me two seconds."

I hung up, grabbed my Jimmy Choo nude wedges, slid them on, and grabbed my Rebecca Minkoff nude cross body bag.

I hustled downstairs to get to Edward as fast as possible. As soon as I saw him, I leapt into his arms. He buried his nose into my neck, placing a kiss there. I slid down his body as he put me on my feet.

"Hi."

"Hi."

We smiled at each other before he quickly kissed me.

"You look beautiful."

"You look handsome. I don't think I've seen you in casual attire. Only in suits." It was true. I had only seen him in suits, but the dark jeans, converse, and gray worn Guns & Roses tshirt made him look absolutely edible."I like this casual look. You aren't wearing your glasses."

"I usually don't actually, only when I'm doing large amounts of fine print reading. When you assaulted me with your coffee, I had just been reading over a bunch of contracts."

"That makes sense. I kind of liked them. They make you look nerdy sexy." I winked at him. We walked hand in hand to the Sheridan Square subway station to head up town.

"I'll keep that in mind," he replied while blushing. It was adorable. I'm glad I'm not the only one who does it.

We grabbed the train and headed up town, making small talk, holding hands, and occasionally sneaking in a kiss. We arrived near Central Park West, and headed toward the local deli to grab some food for our picnic. Edward had even brought a little basket and a blanket. Edward and I both ordered Turkey on wheat with mayo, dijon mustard, and lettuce. I grabbed a bag of flaming hot cheetos, but he preferred his baked Lays. We decided to grab a bottle of wine, a nice chardonnay to accompany the turkey sandwiches. We stowed our purchases in the basket, and walked over to the park. We perched ourselves on a grassy knoll under the shade of a tree. It was incredibly hot today, and very humid, I could feel my blouse sticking to me.

Edward had been smart enough to think about bringing a lightweight cotton blanket. We spread our bounty our on one side of the blanket, and sat thigh to thigh on the other. Finishing our food, Edward and I lay down next to each other, my head on his chest, and just listened to the sounds around us. It was calming to me, listening to the sounds of the city. The soft caress of the breeze through the leaves, the laughter of children playing in the field next to us, the barking of dogs, foot falls of the joggers crazy enough to run in this heat, and in the distance, the honking of the drivers of New York. It was peaceful in a way. I shifted onto my elbow to look down at Edward. He lazily opened his eyes and smiled at me. I leaned down and kissed him, my hair falling in a curtain around us. Softly. Languidly. No rush, no urgency. Edward shifted,cradled my neck, wrapped his other arm around me, and rolled us so he was hovering over me. Our legs lay side by side, his chest over mine, as he threaded his fingers in my hair. His tongue tasted sweet, his lips soft and molding to mine. We were in perfect sync. Tongues dancing, lips moving, and teeth nibbling. I moaned when his teeth caught my bottom lip between them and pulled it into his mouth, lightly sucking on it.

My moan seemed to break the trance.

"As much as I would love to publicly manhandle you. I think the mothers over there, don't particular like our display of affection."

I glanced over his shoulder, noticing the women he was talking about. I also noticed their glares intensified when they saw me peek at them. Somehow I don't think it was the manhandling they had a problem with. Edward clearly didn't understand how attractive he was.

We continued to lay there, surrounded by the sounds and smells of the city, until it was too unbearably hot. As we packed up our things, Edward shuffled his feet and nervously scratched the back of his head. The action caused his shirt to ride up just a little bit, exposing a sliver of skin above his jeans. I caught a glimpse of a V. Swoon. I may or may not have started drooling. Fuck it, I'm pretty sure I was slobbering.

"Um, I know it's only been a few days, but I was wondering if you would feel comfortable coming to my place tonight? I don't want this day to end, I feel like I haven't had enough time with you. I was thinking we could have dinner? If you aren't comfortable with that I totally understand. I just thought maybe it would be nice to have some time to ourselves, and really get to know one another."

I smiled at him. He was clearly nervous and didn't want to give me the wrong impression.

"I would love to, Edward."

His answering smile was brilliant.

"Great! Um, I have to do a few things and that way you can change. You are more than welcome to stay the night. Wait, that's not what I mean. I mean it is, I have a guest room you can sleep in if you want."

"Edward, breathe. I know you aren't going to pressure me. I'll bring an overnight bag just in case ok? Don't give yourself a coronary."

Teasing him did the trick. We smiled at each other and made our way down town. When Edward dropped me off in my lobby, we kissed quickly and went our separate ways, knowing would see each other in a few hours.

I was REALLY looking forward to tonight.


End file.
